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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. CORNWALL AND HEMAN A. BARNABD, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE BARNARD 85 LEAS MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

OF SAME PLAO E.

FLOUR-PACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,410, dated May 31, 1881.

Application filed April 27, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN B. CORNWALL and HEMAN A. BARNARD, of Moline. in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flour-Packers; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a fall, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to the rings to which the packing-tubes are fastened at their upper ends in fiour-packin g machines, its object bein g to provide for theready attachment and detachment of the packing-tubes to and from said rings, and to prevent leakage of flour between the ring and packing-tube during the process of packing.

Heretofore the upper end of the packingtubes have been fitted upon non-expansible rings and secured thereto by various fastening devices, requiring the expenditure of a considerable time in their adjustment in securing and releasing the tubes, and in order that the tubes may be slipped upon the rings they have necessarily been made to fit so loosely that more or less flour leaks through the joint thus made under the very high pressure to which it is subjected in forcing it through the tubes and into the barrels. In obviating these disadvantages we have constructed an expansible packing-rin g, which, when the end of the packingtube is placed upon it, can be expanded to fit so tightly in said ring as to hold it firmly without further fastening, and as a consequence to form so snug a joint that not the slightest leakage of flour can occur through it. v In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a flour-packer, showing the packin g-rin g in position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the ring, and Fig. 3 a vertical section of the same.

The letter A denotes a band or ring, of castiron, or it may be of any other suitable material, provided at one edge with a flange, B, in which are formed slots 0, through which pass the bolts used to secure the ring to the under side of the base, upon which rests the lower end of the delivery-tube. The ring and flange are cleft at one point, as shown at D, and upon the outer face of the ring, on opposite sides of the cleft, are projecting lugs E E, through one, E, of which passes an adjusting-screw, the tip of which bears against the other lug E. By driving this screw inwardly the edges of the band at the cleft are separated and the ring expanded, and by turning it outwardly the ring is allowed to slightly collapse.

Theinn er face of the ring is recessed on each side of the cleft, as shown at F, and in this re cess is arranged a plate of rubber packing, G, which bridges the said cleft, and is held in place by a curved metallic plate, H, one side of which is closely and firmly secured by suitable means to the inner face of the ring on one side of the recess, while its other side extends beyond the opposite terminus of the recess, and has cut through it slots 2' 1 through which project rivets It from the face of the ring, these rivets being headed down tight enough to cause the plate to hold the packing-firmly in place and prevent leakage of flour, but yet not so tightly but that the plate and ring can slip on each other to permit the expansion and contraction of the latter.

The outer face of the ring below the lugs is turned smooth and true in a lathe,in order that it may make a perfectly close joint with the inner surface of the packing-tube fitted upon it.

The ring is in use secured around the opening in the base-board L, the bolts m, which hold it to said board, passing through the slotsin the flange B, which, while the bolts firmly secure it to the board, permit the ring to be expanded, and to contract when the expanding strain is taken off, The nuts onthe bolts may be tightened up after the ring is expanded and loosened when the packing-tube is to be removed, in order that no resistance other" than the resistance of the ring may be opposed to its expansion, and none at all to its contraction.

In securing the packing-tube to the ring all that is necessary is to slip its upper end over the ring and turn the adjusting-screw so as to drive its tip against the lug E. This widens the cleft and so expands the ring that the tube is caused to bag it so closely and tightly that a perfect fit is formed, through the joint of which no particle of flour can pass, and the adhesion ot the tube to the ring is so firm that no other fastening is necessary. When the tube is to be removed the screw may be loosened or turned outwardly.

\Vhat we claim is-- 1. An expausible packing-ring for flourpackers, provided with means for securing it in place and for regulating its expansion, substantially as described.

2. The expansible packing-ring provided with the slotted flange, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The expansible packingring, cleft substantially as described, to permit its expansion, and provided with means for separating its cleft edges, for the purpose set forth.

4. The cleft eXp-ansible packing-ring having the slotted flange, and provided on each side of its cleft with lugs, through one of which passes a screw to bear against the other, substantially as described.

5. The cleft expansible packing-ring provided with means for separating its cleft edges, and having in its inner surface the recess in which is arranged a packing to bridge its cleft, and the slip-plate to hold said packing in place, substantially as described.

6. The cleft packing-ring having the cleft, slotted flange, and the recess in which is arranged the packing to bridge its cleft, the slipplate to hold said packing in place, and the lugs, through one of which passes a screw to press against the other, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. CORNWALL. HEMAN A. BARNARD.

\Vitnesses:

J. SILAS LEAS, J. S. GILLMORE. 

